Breezy Johnson Claps Back at Critics Following Olympic Engagement and Taylor Swift Shout-Out
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina have been full of viral moments, and skier Breezy Johnson’s engagement to Connor Watkins shortly after winning gold was certainly one of them. The moment gained even more attention when Taylor Swift commented on the proposal, but not everyone was thrilled. Johnson is now responding to criticism that her engagement overshadowed her athletic achievement.
Engagement Sparks Debate
Breezy Johnson and Connor Watkins became engaged on February 12, 2026, at the finish line of the super-G race in Cortina D’Ampezzo. Watkins proposed with a ring box engraved with a lyric from Taylor Swift’s song “The Alchemy” from her album The Tortured Poets Department: “Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?” NBC New York
Swift herself commented on Johnson’s Instagram post with another lyric from the same song: “’Where’s the trophy? He just comes running over to me’ CONGRATULATIONS!!!” NBC New York. This sparked a wave of excitement among fans, but also drew criticism from some who felt the engagement detracted from Johnson’s gold medal win.
Johnson Responds to Criticism
Addressing the negativity on Kylie Kelce’s podcast, Not Gonna Lie, Johnson stated, “Hi, I’m Breezy Johnson, and I’m not gonna lie, getting engaged at the Olympics does not steal your spotlight; it just makes it that much cooler.” Cosmopolitan
Kelce supported Johnson, calling the criticism “crazy” and praising the romantic moment as “an incredible time.” Cosmopolitan
Johnson clarified that the engagement was a planned event, not a spontaneous reaction to her win. She and Watkins had discussed the possibility for over a year, and the proposal occurred a few days after she won her gold medal in the women’s downhill on February 8, 2026. Yahoo Sports
“I just thought it would be really fun to bring the two loves of my life together,” Johnson explained. She also pointed out the absurdity of the criticism, noting, “I won the downhill three days ago.” Cosmopolitan
A Dream Come True
Johnson admitted she had long hoped for an Olympic engagement, stating, “I may have told him that I just always kind of had the dream of getting engaged at the Olympics.” Cosmopolitan She acknowledged that people will always have opinions online, but she remains thrilled with how the proposal unfolded.
Watkins had been planning the proposal for a year, hoping to create a special moment in the finish area. Cosmopolitan He described the moment as having “gone above and beyond our wildest imagination.” Cosmopolitan
Johnson is now looking forward to celebrating both her Olympic gold medal and her upcoming wedding, and has extended a welcome to Taylor Swift, stating she is “of course welcome to join.” Yahoo Sports